How to compare and buy SIM-only tablet deals

How do I compare different packages?

If you want to get online with your tablet away from home without hunting around for a wi-fi hotspot, you’ll need a mobile broadband SIM. Our comparison table above helps you easily compare the options based on data allowance, contract length and all-important price.

Availability

Your preferred providers will be those that offer strong 3G or 4G signal in your area. If you don’t check this important issue before you sign up, you could find yourself with poor or even no signal and unable to get online. This is especially true of 4G, which is less widely available than the older, more established 3G networks.

It’s easy to check availability since the providers have a postcode checker tool on their websites, where you can enter your postcode and see the level of mobile broadband coverage in your area. We have guides which enable you to check either 3G or 4G coverage.

Check the details

In addition to coverage, there are a few other details to look out for in the small print before committing to a contract. First, you’ll need to check that your tablet is SIM-card compatible as not all of them are. iPads for example, are available in two versions – Wi-Fi + Cellular or just Wi-Fi – and only the former will accept mobile broadband SIMs.

When you’ve found a plan you like, look out for charges or penalties if you exceed the data allowance, and whether you’ll be alerted when you’re nearing the limit or automatically incur extra charges. If you’re signing up for a long-term plan it’s also worth checking what the exit terms are if you want to leave before the end of the deal.

Why choose a SIM-only deal?

If you bought a tablet outright rather than in a package from a mobile provider, you’ll need a separate SIM card to get yourself online on the move. Here’s a round-up of the perks SIM-only deals for tablets can offer you.

The flexibility to get online without Wi-Fi

Without a dedicated mobile broadband SIM, your internet options are limited to either connecting to your home wi-fi or checking into a public wi-fi hotspot. This is convenient sometimes, but if you want more flexibility, a 3G or 4G SIM card will allow you to get online wherever you’ve got coverage.

To suit a range of budgets

Whether you’ve got £5 or £50 to spare each month, there’s a mobile broadband SIM to fit your budget. There are pay monthly plans where you’ll need a credit check and have to commit to a monthly direct debit, or pay-as-you-go SIMs that are available to everyone since no credit check is required. You’ll generally find that 4G SIM-only deals are more expensive since they deliver a faster service, so if budget is a primary concern, you’ll get more data for your money with a 3G SIM plan, as well as more coverage.

With a choice of contract lengths

Don’t fancy committing to a long contract of 12 months or more? No problem. SIM deals for tablets are available on one-month rolling contracts as well. You’ll notice that rates are a little higher for comparable deals on longer plans, but the flexibility is often a bonus worth paying extra for.

Pros & cons

Pros

SIMs provide flexible mobile broadband

Choice of short- and long-term contracts

They suit a range of budgets

Cons

Some providers prohibit tethering

Not all deals are compatible with all tablets

Limited availability for 4G

Which package is right for me?

SIM-only deals for tablets are pretty simple, since you’ll just need to look at data allowance rather than factor in calls and minutes like a regular phone SIM. Here’s what you need to consider when comparing the deals above.

Choose between 3G and 4G

Availability might make this decision for you, but if you’re lucky enough to have both 3G and 4G in your area, you’ll need to decide between them. The big difference is speed. According to Ofcom, 4G is up to five times faster than 3G, which means faster page loading and a more seamless online experience for streaming songs and videos. It’s a superior service so you should generally expect to pay more (but not always) and also be aware that the faster speed could lead you to eat through your data allowance at a faster rate.

Check availability

It’s worth checking which providers offer the best coverage in your area so you know which ones are worth pursuing. As the original 4G provider, EE offers the widest coverage in the country and its 3G coverage is even more extensive. Three, Vodafone, Virgin Mobile, O2, Tesco Mobile and Giffgaff also offer 4G.

Consider how much data you need

Tablet SIM-only deals have a wide range of data allowances, so there’s an option for every level of user. Consider how often you’ll be accessing the internet and for what kind of activity, and pick a plan to match. Don’t worry if you’re not completely sure, just opt for a one-month contract and you can easily switch plans if you find it’s too much or not enough data.

And what size SIM card your tablet takes

Different tablets take different SIM cards. There’s three sizes – standard, micro and nano – so you’ll need to check which one you need before you sign up. This info can usually be found in the paperwork provided with your device. If you see any deals with combi SIM, this simply refers to a two-in-one standard and micro SIM.

What will I need?

Unlocked tablet that accepts SIM cards

As we’ve already mentioned, you’ll need to ensure that your tablet is SIM-card compatible before signing up to a deal. If it is and has been used on a different network previously, you’ll also need to check whether it is unlocked and able to accept a SIM from a different provider. If is locked, you’ll need to investigate how to unlock it online as there’s different methods for different models.

Reasonable credit history and bank account

The best SIM-only deals run on contracts rather than pay-as-you-go, as you’ll get more data for your money. You’ll need to undergo a credit check and commit to paying by direct debit to get a contract however, so be sure your finances are in order before applying.

Six essential questions before you buy

Is my tablet SIM-card compatible and unlocked?

Which providers offer the best coverage in my area?

Do I want a 3G or 4G plan?

How much data do I need for my planned usage?

Do I want a short- or long-term contract, or pay-as-you-go?

Do I understand the small print and any potential extra costs?

Cable.co.uk recommends

Doing a quick postcode check with the main providers is the best place to start, as it’ll narrow down your options to those offering strong 3G or 4G signal in your area. Once you’ve decided on your budget, ideal data allowance and preferred contract length, you can easily find a SIM plan to suit your needs.

Comments (12)

David white

14th February 2015

What was the answer to gavins question on 18/09/14 as I have and an am back to this myself have you anymore news thanks dave

Bobby

2nd December 2014

Are there any 4G sim only tablet deals for a period more than 30days and upto 6months? Something like the 6month bbm internet deals once offered by TMobile

Jim brownsett

29th November 2014

I can't believe how expensive it is for data only sim in the UK. I spend 3 months a year working in Albania it's only £5.5 for 4GB.

Quita

29th September 2014

I am interested in a pay as you go sim for my tablet. I am unsure which one to go with. I will be using it mainly for watching movies and surfing the net.

Alison

24th September 2014

Hello, I am looking to be able to use my ipad mini anywhere including Europe. Can anybody suggest the best sim to go for.

DeanMOD

22nd September 2014

Gavin, we've raised the question with Three because it's an issue we've not had to seek an answer about before - just as soon as they get back to us, we'll let you know what they say.

Dean - Cable.co.uk

Gavin

18th September 2014

I'm thinking of purchasing a Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet which is capable of making and recieving phone calls and SMS. Obviously a tablet SIM would be useless as it doesn't include minutes and text allowance, so I would like to know if I would be able to use my regular phone sim card with the tablet? It's with Three Mobile, and has unlimited data and a large call/text allowance. Or would Three block my SIM for using it with a tablet?

DeanMOD

9th September 2014

HI Steve, thanks for your comment. If you've had no joy with a customer service assistant in-store, it might be worthwhile calling 3 direct - the problem's that your describing sound like a fault with either your SIM or tablet to me.

Let us know how things go.

Dean - Cable.co.uk

DeanMOD

9th September 2014

Hi Faraday, that's pretty light usage, so I'd be tempted to opt for a 30 day rolling contract that will allow you to jump in and out. This way you'd avoid paying throughout the year, especially if you're only clocking up around 20 hours of usage.

If you're not attaching or downloading particularly large files to or from your email, then the small 250MB allowances you get from 3 could do the trick (an offer that's currently available and correct at the time of me writing this). This would help to offset any roaming costs that you might incur overseas - but it's good practice whatever option you go for to jump onto Wi-Fi whenever possible outside of the UK.

Dean - Cable.co.uk

Steve Briggs

8th September 2014

I believe your 3 deals are incorrect, as I have the a PAYG SIM with them now and when I swapped my SIM from my Note 3 to a Tablet, 2014 Samsung 10.1,3 turned off the data. So are 3 offering deals you can use in tablets or are they fibbing, because their support pages wax lyrical about putting their SIM into any unlocked device including phones, Tablets and Dongles. Yet mine stopped and local 3 store were so unbothered the assistant didn't even take his hands out of his pockets....

Avoid regularly downloading large files at busy times as your connection may be slowed down as part of a traffic management policy.

Jargon Buster

Download speed is the rate at which data is downloaded from the Internet. The higher your download speed the quicker you’ll be able to download music, videos and more.

Fibre optic broadband is a technology that transmits data as pulses of light over a network of fine glass or plastic cables at much higher speeds than traditional broadband.

Monthly usage allowance is the amount of data your broadband package lets you download each month. Also called data allowance, or monthly download allowance.

Traffic management is a scheme used by broadband providers that slows down the broadband speeds of the heaviest users to ensure a consistent level of service for everyone else.

Upload speed is the rate at which data is sent from your computer to a site on the Internet. The higher your upload speed the quicker you’ll be able to send files to websites. Ideal for uploading large image or video files.

Wireless router is a device that transmits your broadband signal wirelessly throughout your home so you can browse the web on wi-fi devices such as netbooks and tablet computers.